This feature speeds up the Chrome browser, but it puts your computer at risk, and you should disable it
Google Chrome is a popular browser on most desktop computers and mobile devices, and it continues to grow in terms of functionality and market share. It is the main competitor to other browsers in this sector, and it seems likely to remain so.
In fact, we can confirm that Chrome is one of the search giant's flagship projects, and therefore, efforts and resources are constantly being invested in improving it. Consequently, the company releases new updates for the software regularly to enhance its functionality and security. All this despite it not being known for its privacy features. Furthermore, Chrome's high consumption of system resources is one of the most prominent criticisms raised by most users.
What performance feature in the Chrome browser puts security at risk?
However, Chrome remains a leader in the browser sector and will likely continue to be so, at least for the time being. As mentioned, among the new features and functionalities added to this program over time, some have focused on performance, while others have emphasized security and privacy. But sometimes, as in the case we are discussing now, some of these built-in tools can cause more problems than they solve for users.
This is the case with a built-in feature, enabled by default in Chrome itself, that puts our security at risk. It's a tool whose primary purpose is to improve browser performance, specifically a feature called "page preloading." As you can imagine, the program automatically preloads the websites that appear on the screen as links before you click on them in order to speed up content loading.
All of this is done proactively, with Chrome itself trying to predict when we'll click on a link, loading all the content before we actually do so. This happens whether you're searching on Google itself or browsing a website with internal links.
However, it's important to note that preloading pages poses a security risk. It may load malicious content in the background without any user intervention. This is because Google Chrome doesn't know in advance whether the content of the websites it preloads is harmful or trustworthy.
How to disable the website preloading feature in Chrome browser
Therefore, at this stage, disabling this feature entirely is the best option. It's important to remember that the browser doesn't automatically enable it when you reinstall the application. Fortunately, we can disable it in seconds and with complete ease.
Simply go to the browser's main menu and then to settings, and in the left panel, click on the performance section.
Now, on the right side of the interface, you will see an option to completely disable the page preloading feature, which, as you can see, is enabled by default.
